Kendall Packaging, a 30 year corporate resident of the Northeast Regional Industrial Park in Pittsburg, Kansas, achieved an integral milestone today with a groundbreaking ceremony kicking off an expansion that acts as a launching pad for the company’s ability to invest in new technology. The project will also allow the company to continue to deliver on its customer focused strategy which sets it apart from other companies in the flexible packaging industry. With up to $10 million in funds secured for the expansion, the flexible packaging manufacturer will more than double its existing facility, add necessary new equipment to its production platform and increase its employment by approximately 30 percent at the completion of the first phase of the project.

Local and state leaders joined together as area economic development partners and KendallPackaging VIPs "turned soil" to commemorate the occasion.

"This is a big deal for Kendall Packaging," explained Kendall Packaging President and CEO Eric Erickson III. "In just three years, we've invested nearly $17 million back into our facilities in Jefferson,Wisconsin, and now in Pittsburg. This expansion provides us with a much larger facility to house necessary equipment to strengthen our manufacturing capabilities and ensure we are offering highquality packaging and excellent customer service to our customers. As we expand our production potential, this added space will provide us with opportunities for growth in the future."

The 59,000 square foot expansion increases the plant’s footprint to nearly 100,000 square feet, with plenty of capacity for the new equipment (valued at $6 million) being installed during the project. With the added space and new equipment at the Pittsburg location, Kendall Packaging will have the facilities needed to provide its customers the best quality and service in the flexible packaging industry.

While the purpose of the expansion is to increase the size of the facility and add new equipment and technology to its current manufacturing platform, the project will also benefit employees of Kendall Packaging on a personal level. An onsite wellness center is part of the project plan and will feature workout facilities for employees and their families. "We want our employees to find a positive work/life balance. Giving them an opportunity to make healthy lifestyle choices, through working out in the new wellness center or participating in other companysponsoredwellness activities, is our way of giving back and demonstrating we value their efforts," explained plant manager Jack Trostle. "They work hard; we want to help them have long and healthy careers at Kendall Packaging."

Kendall Packaging, a 30-year corporate citizen of Pittsburg, will be expending up to $10 million on an expansion that will support its current growth plan and contribute significantly to area economic development efforts. Through a partnership with the City of Pittsburg, the flexible packaging converter will be more than doubling its current plant size and adding jobs within the near future.

Since 2001, the Flexographic Technical Association (FTA) has been recognizing companies for their "outstanding efforts in developing innovative processes, products and management approaches that have had a positive impact on the three pillars of sustainability - people, planet, and profit." This year the FTA presented Kendall as the winner of the Sustainability Excellence Award. The award was presented to Kendall on March 6, 2016 in Forth Worth, Texas. You can read more about Kendall's sustainability efforts in April's issue of the FLEXO Magazine as seen below.

Kendall Packaging is proud to announce that it has achieved Graphic Measures International (GMI) print packaging supplier certification for Walgreens. GMI is a quality assurance-monitoring firm that validates the process controls and ability to deliver consistent results contracted by Walgreens to manage their private brand packaging print quality assurance program.

Kendall Packaging Corporation is proud to announce that Cynthia Hwang has recently been hired as marketing coordinator; she will be based out of the Mequon headquarters. Hwang will report to Kendall Packaging’s Vice President of Marketing and Sales. Her responsibilities include supporting the company’s marketing, public relations, sales efforts and customer programs.

Kendall Packaging Corporation is proud to announce that Jack Trostle has been hired as plant manager for the company’s Pittsburg, Kan. facility. Trostle will report to the President and CEO and his responsibilities will include overseeing plant operations, ensuring the achievement of production objectives, maximizing efficiencies and lowering costs while maintaining the high quality standards that Kendall’s customers have always appreciated.

On May 9th, 2014, Kendall Packaging held a grand opening ceremony unveiling their 56,000 square foot expansion at their Jefferson, WI facility. Governor Scott Walker stopped by to help celebrate the occasion, "This expansion is a testament to Kendall's commitment to Wisconsin and I'm happy to be here to celebrate as they enter the next phase of growth".

In the spring of 2013, Kendall Packaging broke ground on a 56,000 square-foot expansion project for the Jefferson, WI facility. This addition increases the plant's production capacity and doubles storage capacity.